Ken Block Interview

"More risk, more reward. You’ve got to gain an advantage, an edge."

Quick Bio

Every man takes risks in his life -- Ken Block just happens to take a hell of a lot more. The World Rally Championship driver and DC Shoes co-founder is no stranger to danger, and proved this emphatically with his recent visit to Australia on his death-defying Gymkhana world tour.

AskMen caught up with Block trackside in Melbourne to discuss risk, business and burning rubber.

What was your philosophy -- style or otherwise -- in founding DC Shoes?

Ken Block: To make something different. Something that was better than anything in the marketplace.

Simple, yet brilliant. A man in your line of work must cop his fair share of injuries. What's been your worst one?

KB: A compression fracture to my spine -- the car just jumped. It was a pretty crappy feeling, man.

Does it compare to anything else you've ever felt?

KB: I’ve broken a bunch of bones riding dirt bikes, but that was a seriously big shock. I knew what was about to happen -- it was a very uncomfortable feeling.

Does anything scare you?

KB: Good question... Big trees.

Fair enough. What are the biggest misconceptions about racing and driving?

KB: That it's easy (laughs).

How important is risk-taking for you, in and outside of business?

KB: It’s all about making educated guesses. More risk, more reward -- that’s why you take them. You’ve got to gain an advantage, an edge.

What drove you to making those amazing Gymkhana videos?

KB: Well, the guy that was doing the Gymkhana championships in Southern California quit doing them -- so we just had this amazing car that I built to get competing, and that’s when we made our first video.

Hopefully there's many more to come. What do you really want to achieve before your career is over?

KB: To be more and more competitive at the top level of the WRC. It’s one of the hardest driving championships in the world. I put myself there to really challenge myself to get better. It takes years and years of experience. It’s what I’ve always set out to do: be the best driver I can be. So, competing in the World Rally Championship, getting close to that level is really my ultimate goal.

You've done some pretty cool things over the years. Do you have a most memorable moment?

KB: One of my heroes watching rally growing up was Colin McRae. To race against him… I was one of the last people that he competed against before he passed away. That’s a pretty big thing for me.